Entertainment
Garden City And Challenge of Waste Management
Samuel Joseph
There is no gainsaying the fact that the environment constitutes a vital sector in the economy of any nation. The fact that all economic activities take place in an environment underscores the importance of the environment. It is for this reason that nations especially the developed countries have had to evolve sound and comprehensive policies and programmes that address issues or problems emanating from the environment either natural or man made. The objective being to protect and preserve the environment (both physical and human) for the use of future generations.
Of course, waste management is a strategic component of environmental management. The significance of waste management especially on the population cannot be over emphasized when viewed on the desire for a safe and healthy population for economic activities to thrive. That is to say a safe and healthy population is a “sine qua non” for sustainable economic growth and development of any nation.
In Rivers state waste management has become a recurring phenomenon. Obviously it is one issue that successive administrations have not been able to address squarely despite the huge resources expended. The truth is that .previous administrations lacked a clear cut waste management policy neither did they conscientiously execute whatever policy they had on ground. And so Rivers State and particularly Port Harcourt the state capital and its environs remain beset with waste management problems and their adverse ramifications.
The common manifestation of an inefficient and ineffective waste management system is the ugly sight of heaps of refuse dotting various street corners, littering, blocked drains, over grown weeds, makeshift structures, abandoned vehicles and metal scraps with high level of noise ‘pollution completing the cycle.
All these no doubt abound in Port Harcourt city and its environs. The situation poses serious challenge to the present administration which from all indications is desirous of confronting the menace head long through the Integrated Waste Management System.
When you talk about problems of sanitation and the waste management programme which the Amaechi administration inherited, what readily comes to mind is de-silting of drains and refuse evacuation by contractors. Even as narrow and crude as this policy is, its implementation had proved to be as tough as a hard nut. These contractors have indeed failed the state as they only engage in what some environmental experts describe as mere distribution of waste.
These contractors are simply ill prepared even for the simple task of refuse evacuation, or de-silting of drains. They lack the professional skill to do the job. Their technical and logistical capacities are nothing to write home about. Their often hired rickety trucks and poorly equipped and motivated personnel speak volume of the ineffective service they render. Exposure, littering and fly dumping are common features during refuse evacuation. As for de-silting contractors, silts from the drains are never evacuated into trucks for disposal after each operation, only for the waste to be washed into the drains and for them (contractors) to de-silt again. It is a vicious circle that makes no meaning and probably a deliberate ploy to keep them busy.
To these contractors, sanitation job is just like any other business where you make as much profit as you can even if the outcome is a glaring non performance. The love or passion for the environment is not in their reckoning and so they cannot muster the zeal or efforts to do their job excellently and be happy. They are not irritated by the heaps of refuse in their areas of operations as they wait for their monthly payment.
In this situation the regulatory bodies are not free from blame ‘either as they have also failed to discharge their duties creditably. They lack the capacity to supervise, monitor and extract compliance and in the case of default exert appropriate sanctions that will serve as deterrent and even in cases where they attempt control, the contractors who are mostly untouchables because of their political connections treat them with levity or out rightly ignore them and so the rot continues.
We could also blame the poor sanitary situation on the attitude of the people. In fact the whole mess had assumed an attitudinal dimension. This is as a result of the nonchalant attitude of previous administrations, a situation which made people to become complacent with environmental hygiene as they indulge in all manner of dirty habits at home and in public. Thus, people accumulate waste in their homes and dispose off anywhere’ it suits them even in drains. It became fashionable to litter the streets with waste in a manner that defies the efforts of government to keep the city clean.
The cause of the perennial flooding in Port Harcourt, each time it rains has also partly been traced to clogged drains that hinder water flow although some of these drains are mere gutters that lead to nowhere and this brings us to the issue of channels and discharge outlets that make up a comprehensive drainage system.
There is also the menace of banners and posters. The indiscriminate pasting of posters and banners and even sign boards on every available space has grossly defaced the city. This, coupled with pervasive street trading has created the impression of a city in dire need of sanity.
It is against this backdrop one would appreciate the significance of the stakeholders meeting called by the Hon. Commissioner for Environment Mr. Kingsley Chindah on July, 2009 at the conference hall of Ministry of Justice. The meeting was essentially to reappraise and evaluate the performance of the present waste management programme which could be described as ad hoc viz-a-vis the new Integrated Waste Management System of the Rivers State government in order to achieve the synergy needed to ensure a clean and healthy environment.
Truly, the commissioner did not mince words or pretend in admitting failure on the part of every stakeholder (contractors, regulators and the public) as far as the present system is concerned and called for a reawakening. A new consciousness for all those involved in environmental sanitation in the state, particularly the need for major players to display professionalism and competence in their operations.
Refuse and de-silting contractors have a major role to play and should begin to get serious and committed in doing their job with pride and dignity and not just a profit making venture. The government wants to see improved performance in refuse collection with the goal of professionalizing the system and has thus put in place concrete measures designed to raise the standard to achieve optimum result. And contractors who do not meet the minimum standard will be shown the way out for serious minded professionals to come in.
For instance, to qualify as a contractor in the new dispensation you need at least three trucks and not rickety ones with evidence of experience or past performance in the job. Dumpsite managers should have excavators in addition to pollution control measures to achieve operational efficiency. In order to motivate staff of contractors, they are obliged to provide workman insurance scheme for their employees who are indeed exposed to health risk. To address the problem of delayed payment, contractors are to discuss with their bankers for bank guarantee to ensure free flow of funds in the system.
The government, in order to ensure decency has regulated waste disposal period for the public otherwise called garbage time which is now 6pm to 12 midnight. At the same time refuse contractors are now to engage in night evacuation which is most convenient and devoid of the hassles experienced in the day time. Contractors will employ road sweepers in their zones and also carry out litter control including checking the menace of posters and banners in their operational areas.
Entertainment
Ijaw Nation Day Festival Begins, Today
All is now set for the three-day cultural event tagged, Ijaw ‘Nation Day Festival’ expected to commence today, in Lagos State.
The fiesta is organised by Miebaka Aggo, a professional cyclist and an Ijaw son who is currently based in Lagos State.
Aggo, who disclosed this to The Tide Entertainment yesterday, said that the cultural event which is organised annually, serves as a reminder of the Ijaw culture to the ijaws residing in Lagos State
’For the cultural festival is to show the Ijaws in Lagos our tradition, so they don’t forget,’ he said.
According to him, the fiesta will feature cultural displays such as masquerades, Ijaw dance performances, boat regatta and traditional wrestling, arts and crafts displays and musical performance.
Meanwhile, preparations are ongoing to host a traditional sports festival this year end in Bayelsa Sate or Rivers State of the Niger Delta region.
‘“The traditional sports festival will be held in Niger Delta this year end or early next year. It is a big budget,” he explained.
He mentioned that the organisers are hopeful of sponsorship from companies and well-meaning individuals in the region.
Sports to be contested for include
1. Wrestling
2. Swimming
3. Canoeing
4. Draft
5. Aquathlon(run, swim, run respectively)
6. Triathlon (bike, swim, run)
“However, 5 and 6 are borrowed Olympic sports that favour our region because we can swim, but the major sports to expect are wrestling, swimming and canoeing,” he said.
Nancy Briggs
Entertainment
Life And Times Of Goddy Oku
“In his book, ‘The Wings’, drummer-turned-guitarist, Manford Best, wrote extensively and glowingly of the pivotal role Goddy played in his music career, in the face of his (Manford’s) natural challenge”
On Friday, January 19, 2024, Chief Tony Okoroji, the Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Uche Emeka Paul, Sir Angus Power Nwangwu and other members of COSON were in Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area, Anambra State to pay the last respects of COSON to Engr Goddy Ogomegbunam Oku. Describing Oku as an “iconic musician…long-term motivator of the music industry…leader of the Hygrades, proprietor of Godiac Studios…a great man and a true genius”, Chief Okoroji draped the casket with the flag of COSON. To perform this rite of passage, Okoroji flew in from Lagos, Paul flew in from Abuja, Nwangwu drove in from Enugu and other members arrived from various states reflecting the esteemed regards Goddy Oku commanded in the COSON family. My experience with Goddy Oku and those of others as contained in the following dirge epitomise the essence of Okoroji’s graveside oration. Goddy was really a “long-term motivator of the music industry”.
During the Nigerian civil war, my family took refuge in Umuchima, down the valley at the outskirts of Orlu, Imo State. One evening, my father returned from Orlu with a message from my friend, Emeka Ifejika, that Biafra Army Officers Training School (BAOTS) was setting up a pop band and they were searching for a bass guitarist. Goodness gracious!!! I was the bassist of The Hardnuts, my defunct teenage band in Port Harcourt; so, I saw it as the opportunity to avoid conscription, which had intensified at the time. Very early the next morning, I sneaked through the back into the sprawling scenic compound of Bishop Shanaham College, Orlu, which housed BAOTS and, as God would have it, I met Goddy Oku. For three hours, he drilled me on bass guitar playing, basic chord progressions and eventually accepted me as bassist/vocalist of the proposed band. An identity card and a “Pass” were quickly prepared to enable me return to Umuchima the next day, pick up my personal effects and report for duty.
With Dona Dyke (Donatus Nwadike) on drums and Goddy on lead guitar/vocals, we became The Silhouettes, a power trio that played side-by-side Sunny Nwamama of “Umunwanyi ji ukwu achodi” fame. That was at a time Jimi Hendrix Experience, James Gang, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Cream, Grand Funk Railroad and other Power Trios were hip in Europe and America but hadn’t emerged in the West African music scene; so, our ensemble was peculiar or odd, if you prefer.
One day, Warrant Officer Murphy introduced a young man by name Justus Nnakwe (JU-Xperience) to Goddy and appealed that he (Justus) should be taught an instrument. Within two weeks, Goddy drilled Justus and transformed him from a complete neophyte to a rhythm guitarist. Eventually, JU had his first outing and The Silhouettes morphed into a four-some at an event for the Commandant of BAOTS, Colonel Tim Onwuatuegwu. Thereafter, Goddy groomed a singer whose entry gave the band a greater body and earthy sound. At the end of the civil war, I returned home to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, cofounded The Blackstones Band in January 1970 and chased the stars until 1972 when societal and family pressure leashed me back to school in the United States where I consistently earned pocket change thru playing guitar; the trade in which Goddy Oku groomed and gowned me.
Goddy mentored numerous artists in his days; the list is virtually endless. Sonny Okosuns, John Kerry, Nelly Uchendu, Panam Percy Paul, Chris Okotie, Felix Liberty, Felarday, Clement Amaechi and a host of others. Kenny Koburn (KK) once reminisced on how he broke bounds in high school to watch The Blackstones perform at Golf Course Hotel, Owerri in the early 1970s. Enamored by the performance of the bassist of the band, KK said he dropped out of school and headed to Enugu where he was tutored to play bass guitar by Goddy Oku. Subsequently, KK co-founded Founders Fifteen of Port Harcourt. In his book, ‘The Wings’, drummer-turned-guitarist, Manford Best, wrote extensively and glowingly of the pivotal role Goddy played in his music career, in the face of his (Manford’s) natural challenge. Before his demise, Prof Frank Onyezili (Frank Zilly of The Fractions) narrated to me the crucial role Goddy played in his music career before he returned to school. Goddy it was who played the classical guitar interlude in “Igede” by Celestine Ukwu. Arguably, “Igede” stands out as the first instrumental music in the Highlife genre and one of the most memorable songs of Celestine Ukwu.
Over the years, Goddy and I maintained contact and I visited him periodically. We even planned that he’d do one week with me in Port Harcourt and we’d embark on a musical pilgrimage to Abak, Akwa Ibom State to visit Emmanuel Ntia of Solo Hit fame, but that didn’t come to fruition. However, when JU came home in April 2021, I hopped into Enugu on the 13th and the three of us spent one night of reminiscences. We put two mattresses on the floor in Goddy’s parlor and played guitar and talked all night. We relived our collective experiences and walked through the engagements we played during the civil war. It was a memorable night.
JU Xperience, Goddy and
The next morning, April 14, 2021, we took a group photograph without realising that that would be the last time we’d see each other. First, JU sailed to the great beyond in far away China and now Goddy is gone; a rather grim reminder of my sitting at the “Departure Lounge of Life”.
May the creative soul of Godfrey Ogomegbunam Oku rest in the Bosom of God, Amen.
Jason Osai
Entertainment
TB Joshua:This Is Why Victims Do Not Speak Up -Seun Kuti
Seun Kuti has weighed in on the ongoing controversy regarding late Nigerian Prophet, TB Joshua, and states that the vilification of victims is why they do not speak up.
Seun Kuti does not believe that all people who do good things are completely good people.
“I don’t care if he took your family to space, you aren’t everybody,” he said.
The Tide Entertainment reports that the singer aired his views on the issue on Wednesday, charging “religious people” to “do better.”
“Eyin Elebi. Once person someone shares money and rice for people, he is a good person automatically,” he said.
”When this man was alive, he was sooo powerful that his criminal negligence, according to state coroner in Lagos led to the death of 84 people and he didn’t spend one second in police station and you want some young women to come and do what?! When Timis wife came out, you all turned a married woman to a prostitute like magic! That’ is why victims do not speak up!! E du Betta, religious people!!”
Going further, he slammed people who defend the late prophet on the grounds that he helped them one way or another, stressing that the experience of some is not the experience of all people.
In his words, “I don’t care if he took your family to space, and he was good to you, you are not everybody! Because a politician helped one person he would prove to the world that the man is a ‘good person!’ News flash- YOU ARE NOT EVERYBODY!!!”
The late prophet and his church have become the subject of controversy after a three part documentary produced by the BBC, highlighted the negative experiences of ex-Synagogue Church of all Nations members, who called the church “a cult”. Some women also accused TB Joshua of rape, forced abortions, child abuse and overall abuse. These claims have become a topic of discourse ever since with some siding with the church and others choosing to believe the victims.
However, the church has denied all the allegations.
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The European Union (EU) says it will end its five-year Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT) programme aimed at enhancing the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria, on April 14. Mr Damilare Babalola, the National Programme Manager, ACT, said this on Tuesday at a brief event in Port Harcourt. Babalola said that the conclusion of the programme would automatically mean an end for the 21 CSOs based in Rivers. He stated that the EU-funded programme, valued at 13.1 million euros, was executed by the British Council across 10 states, with a presence in the 36 states of the federation. “The programmes’ goals are to assist CSOs in becoming more credible, accountable and effective agents of change, for sustainable development in Nigeria. “The implementation focussed on providing capacity-building skills, referred to as capacity development support to CSOs, to enhance their effectiveness. “Additionally, it aimed to evaluate the regulatory environment for CSOs and promote strategic coordination among them and other key stakeholders in terms of collaboration and advocate, for appropriate legislation and regulations,” he explained. Babalola identified the benefitting states as Adamawa, Borno, Edo, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “The ACT programme commenced in 2019 and will officially conclude on April 14, marking the end of five-years of active implementation in the country. “Rivers was among the states where we initiated the programme during our phase two launch in 2020, and we are here to formally close the ACT programme in the state. “ACT has addressed significant challenges affecting the effectiveness and impact of civil societies, especially in creating an enabling regulatory environment,” he added. He expressed confidence that in spite of ACT’s departure from the country, civil society groups have gained sufficient capacity to effectively carry out their responsibilities in their respective focus areas within the communities. The programme manager noted that 273 CSOs benefitted from the programme across the country, with 233 CSOs receiving capacity-building training and 40 others trained to enhance regulatory conditions. In his remark, ACT Rivers Focal Person, Mr Temple Oraeki, emphasised the importance of CSOs collaborating with the state government and international donor agencies to advance their programmes and projects within the communities. “The 21 CSOs, comprising of eight community-based organisations and three network coalitions in Rivers, now serve as our ambassadors, equipped to make positive impact in society. “Therefore, we are leaving behind organisations that are credible partners for the government and international donor agencies to execute their programmes in communities,” he said. Gov. Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers, expressed the state’s readiness to engage with CSOs to implement government policies and programmes in the various communities where they operate. Represented by Diokuma Ismael, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Fubara lauded the EU and British Council for their interventions in the state. “The success of the ACT programme has undoubtedly enhanced the value of civil society organisations in the state and nationwide. “We are prepared to partner with the CSOs that have impacted communities, once all necessary documentations are concluded. “However, it is crucial for CSOs to adhere to proper regulations, to enable the government to identify with them for sustainable development,” he said. Fubara urged the civil society groups to align with the state government’s policy to drive positive change in the communities.
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